We’ve just rolled out a game-changing feature that puts more money back in your pocket. Host Tools now offers the option to create a direct booking site for your properties. This addition allows hosts like you to bypass third-party platform fees and continue to build your property’s brand.
Our latest feature offers an alternative for hosts looking for ways to reduce their reliance on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. With commission fees often eating into profits by 10-15%, direct bookings can improve your bottom line while providing you with complete control over your guests’ booking experience.
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
Why Hosts Need a Direct Booking Site
As you know, the vacation rental industry is competitive. Service fees continue to rise, and hosts find themselves at the mercy of algorithm changes that can impact their visibility overnight. Direct booking sites offer a simple solution to these challenges.
When guests book directly through your website, you keep 100% of the booking fee. For a $200 per night property, that could mean an extra $20-30 per booking that stays in your wallet instead of going to platform fees. Over the course of a year, those savings can really add up.
How Host Tools Makes Direct Booking Simple
Creating a direct booking site used to require technical expertise and often a significant financial investment in hiring a website designer. We’ve eliminated these barriers by integrating direct booking functionality into our existing platform.
Hosts can create a direct booking site for individual properties or multiple properties together as a brand. Our platform handles all the technical complexities, from payment processing to calendar synchronization and integration.
Steps to Set Up Your Direct Booking Site
Getting started with your direct booking site takes just a few minutes. We’ve worked hard to streamline the process and make it accessible for hosts of all technical skill levels.
Steps to set up your direct booking site
- Step 1: Navigate to the Listings page. Press the “+” button next to the listing you want to work with.
- Step 2A: Select “Create custom site” next to the “Direct Booking” option.
Step 2B: Alternatively, you can go directly to the “Direct Booking” section and press “Create Custom Site.
Step 3: On the setup page, choose the “Listing” or “Listing Group” that you wish to create a direct booking site for.
- Step 4: Choose a subdomain for your site and connect your Stripe account for payments.
- Step 5: Press “Save” to finalize and create your direct booking site.
Once created, use the buttons next to your site to view, edit, or delete it as needed. Learn more about setting up your direct booking site here.
Use Host Tools to Automate Your Hosting Tasks
In addition to our newest feature, Host Tools saves you time by automating a variety of hosting tasks. With features like automated messaging, you can send personalized responses to guests without much manual effort. Additionally, our platform lets you set up automatic cleaning schedules to ensure your property is always prepared for new arrivals. These time-saving tools streamline repetitive tasks and let you focus on delivering a great guest experience.
Final Thoughts
With our new direct booking capabilities, you can take full control of your short-term rental business. By streamlining the booking process and reducing dependency on third-party platforms, you will build stronger relationships with your guests and create a more personalized experience. These tools empower you to grow your business on your own terms, saving you time and money at every step.
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
